Few-Body Dynamics of Ionization Processes Induced by Particles and Anti-Particles

Missouri University Of Science And Technology, Rolla MO

Investigators

Abstract

This research focuses on detailed studies of the few-body problem, one of the fundamental, unsolved problems in physics. Atomic ionization processes are particularly practical to experimentally investigate the few-body problem because the final space state involves at least three unbound particles, in contrast to pure capture or excitation processes. The PI will investigate single and double ionization of helium and hydrogen by ion, electron, and positron impact as a prototype for few-particle reactions. In the double ionization experiments the interest is focused on the role of electron-electron correlation effects. The broader impact involves understanding how many-body interactions affect fields ranging from atomic physics involving simple systems to chemical and biological processes involving complex molecules to elementary particle reactions.